Monthly Archives: June 2013

I’m big on giving air talents specific tools to use, not just talking about “pie in the sky” aspirations.

We hear about “telling stories” every day, but exactly HOW to do that is usually never really explained; only “critiqued.” This is like learning about heat by putting your hand down on a hot stove. That’s not Coaching.

Here’s a foolproof method for laying out any break:

Write down 2 or 3 words for the “open.”

Under those, write down a couple more words for the next “copy point.”

“Rinse and repeat” with the “2 words” mechanic.

Then write down a couple of words for your “exit.”

So let’s take a story and “workshop” it:

Having a baby.

Planning birth.

Baby comes NOW.

Pictures.

It comes out like this…

“If you’re a parent, or about to become one, here’s what you go through…you plan everything, from packing a suitcase ahead of time to putting the doctor’s number in your phone to laying out the quickest route to the hospital. This woman in West Boca Raton, Florida, Amy Beth Cavaretta, did all of that, but then she gave birth in front of the hospital! (Oops.) Oh, and on top of that, her husband is a photojournalist for a Miami newspaper! Ewww. Pictures of the birth are not something that guys want to see. Now if you had pictures of how the baby was made…”

The “2 words, 2 words” way of laying out a break keeps you concise. (Always a good thing.)

(1) Be a good ambassador of the format. Each format has its unique qualities. Country is different from Album Rock. Contemporary Christian is different from Smooth Jazz. HOW they’re different is part of what you’re here to show. Consider the difference between Classic Rock and Oldies. They’re NOT the same.

(2) Be a good “tour guide” for the station—its features, artist pool, website stuff, Promotions, Contests…all that it has to offer.

(3) Be a good deejay (in music formats). That means [A] being patient, not trying to cram too much in, or doing more than one main subject in each break; [B] “riding the wave” of the music by matching each song’s tempo and emotional vibe; and [C] fitting each song, which means not trying to do ultra-serious Content over a “happy” song, or sounding like the music doesn’t matter to you, or like you’ve just been waiting impatiently for the song to end, so you can talk.

(4) I have to learn something about you, and not just what you think. I also want to know how you FEEL; what’s in your heart.

Now ask yourself if you’re doing these things every day. If you’re not, maybe you need some help.

Okay, so you’ve gotten the hang of being “the Moon” instead of trying to “be the Sun.” And you’re really working hard at coming up with “camera angles” that set you apart from everyone else. That’s great! BUT THAT’S NOT ALL.

The biggest step is still in front of you: Taking the “First Exit” out of things.

Simply put, it’s the first line of “resolution” as you do a break. Not the first “funny” line, necessarily, because some Content isn’t funny. And, of course, you don’t want to get out before your point is made. (I believe the Latin term for that would be subjectus interruptus.)

Face it, most air talents just beat things to death. They get to laughing about something in the Control Room, “riffing” and throwing in more stuff, until it all just turns into a big bag of mush. There’s no Momentum in that. It’s like buying a ticket to see someone, then they lock the doors so you can’t leave the theater.

The first line or remark that gives “punctuation” or “resolution” to the break, GO! Just hit the button, go into the next element, and STOP TALKING. Don’t go on to make another point, or “wrap up” or “summarize.” Don’t throw in the call letters again, or give a time check, or do a tease, or play some recorded “bumper” that says your name, or in any way do anything that impedes the progress. Just GO FORWARD. RIGHT NOW.

If the ending you planned (but didn’t get to) is really great, simply reset the subject later, and do that line. But 99% of the time the FIRST exit is the BEST exit, because it adds an element of surprise to the show.

In the previous tip, we talked about how to “be the Moon, not the Sun” and choose only what matters most to the listenertoday to talk about in your show Content. (Of course, there are the formatic elements, and the various aspects of the station—events, contests, promotions, etc. But this is about the real-life stuff that reveals who you are and bonds you and the listener together.)

The real game is selecting the right “camera angle,” just like the process a movie director goes through in rehearsal, or putting together a “storyboard” of each shot he’ll use. Where he puts the camera decides how the story will be told. That’s why a Steven Spielberg or James Cameron is so successful. They use that camera to show—through their eyes—what they believe to be the most compelling view of what’s happening in the scene. And with the great directors, it’s never exactly like anyone else’s.

Let’s take an obvious example, the Oklahoma tornadoes. Is that about the loss of life, the damaged or destroyed buildings, how much it will cost to rebuild, or what the government is going to do about it? Or is it about the amazing stories of people surviving under tons of rubble, or the tireless sacrifices of the first responders, or how WE can help?

How you choose to talk about it – where you put your “camera” – determines whether or not you’re just another radio quacking noise, or you’re someone whose opinion and perspective I want to hear. Choose carefully, or risk “death by button.” (One of the other buttons on my radio, or apps on my iPhone.)

Note: There’s more. Each time you talk about a given subject, you should choose a different camera angle, so it’s not just a repeat of what you said before. It’s an ART, not just a skill.

This may sound simple, but it’s the first—and most important—step in being different from everyone else on the air.

Picture the Sun. It’s a big yellow ball of fire—the source of heat, light, and energy for our world. Now picture the Moon. It’s a dead, lifeless rock. All the Moon does is reflect the light of the Sun.

Almost every air talent I’ve ever met wants to be the Sun, and “beam out” to his listeners what he thinks they should hear.

BUT THAT’S NOT THE JOB.

Your job is to be the Moon, and simply reflect back to the listener what he or she already cares about—today—filtered through your experiences, observations, and opinions.

Once you realize this, show prep gets SO much easier. Choose what’s top of mind and relevant, then talk about it. Take your agenda out of the picture. If it doesn’t connect with the listener, it doesn’t matter.